The Petzine

Microchips And How They Work

Paige — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:31:07 +0000

Microchips are still a fairly new concept to pet owners, and can be a source of confusion. I’d like to clear this up. I’m 100% behind the idea of microchips and think every pet should be required to have one.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve been asked if a microchip is like a “tracker”. The answer is no, it’s not an implantable GPS device. A microchip is a small chip, about the size of a grain of rice, that is inserted through a needle under the skin between your pet’s shoulder blades. The procedure is different at some clinics. Most don’t require sedation, but occasionally it is necessary. Often they will shave a small area for the injection and possibly prep it with some betadine or alcohol. After they, that insert the chip in the same way they would give a shot, only with a larger needle. They will then scan your pet to make sure implantation was successful.

You may be given paperwork to fill out and send in, or the clinic may do it for you. This all depends on the brand of chip that they use. Regardless, your personal information such as address, name, phone number, and pet’s information will be sent to a database. If your pet is lost or stolen, the chip will stay with them when a collar or ID tags may be removed or fall off. If your pet winds up at a shelter or rescue, they are required to scan all pets for microchips before placing up for adoption or euthanizing. In the event of a stolen pet, it can be harder to track them down from a microchip, but some clinics will mandatorily scan for chips if someone claims to have “found” the pet recently, so there is always that chance.

Scanning your pet involves a rectangular or wand-shaped device that you wave over the animal’s back and if it identifies a chip, a long number will appear on the screen of the scanner. This number is then used to call the chip’s manufacturer, and they look in their database to match the number to the previous owner. Sometimes if chips are implanted into a puppy or kitten, by the time they reach adulthood the chip may have migrated into a front leg or further down it’s back. If you ever have your pet scanned for a chip, make sure they run the scanner up and down the back, but also up and down the front legs. I once found a chip in a rottweiler’s front right paw. No idea how it got there, but the point is, if I hadn’t been thorough with my scanning, her owners never would have been found.

There are several different manufacturers of microchips. Unfortunately, the technology is still new enough that there is not a universal scanner that will read all brands of chips. The most common types of chips are AVID, HomeAgain, and the new Bayer chip, called resQ. They all come with their own scanners, and some scanners will read other types of chips, but not always. It can be confusing trying to figure out what is what, but the Wikipedia article on microchips can help you get an idea.

I’ve seen enough chips save enough lives to vouch for the efficacy of the product. They usually run $40-$80, which is well worth every penny. Chips should be paired with a collar and ID tag for maximum effect, but when all else fails, the chip will be there, and provide you with the peace of mind that if your pet does end up in a shelter, you will be contacted.

Parasite Products & Their Differences: The Breakdown

Paige — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:15:03 +0000

For Dogs & Cats

Frontline Top Spot (fipronil)
Labeled for: Adult fleas, chewing lice, and ticks. Also may be used as an aid in the control of sarcoptic mange.
Method: Topical
Works in: less than 24 hours from application. Fleas will die within 18 hours of contact with your treated pet, and ticks will die within 48 hours.
Lasts for: at least 4 weeks (but up to three months in dogs, and six weeks in cats)
Approved for dogs and cats 8 weeks and older, and for pregnant, lactating and breeding dogs or cats
Other perks: Waterproof, no expiration if stored in original packaging and kept at room temperature.

Frontline Plus (fipronil, s-methoprene)
Labeled for: Adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, chewing lice, and ticks. Also may be used as an aid in the control of sarcoptic mange.
Method: Topical
Works in: less than 24 hours from application. Fleas will die within 18 hours of contact with your treated pet, and ticks will die within 48 hours.
Lasts for: at least 4 weeks (but up to three months in dogs, and six weeks in cats)
Approved for dogs and cats 8 weeks and older, and for pregnant, lactating and breeding dogs or cats
Other perks: Waterproof, no expiration if stored in original packaging and kept at room temperature.

Advantage (imidacloprid)
Labeled for: Adult fleas and flea larvae
Method: Topical
Works in: within 12 hours from application.
Lasts for: 4 weeks
Approved for dogs 7 weeks and older and cats 8 weeks and older. Not labeled for pregnant or nursing animals.
Other perks: Studies have shown efficacy after bathing or swimming

Program (lufenuron)
Labeled for: Flea eggs and flea larvae
Method: Oral
Lasts for: 4 weeks

For Dogs
K9 Advantix (imidacloprid + permethrin)
Labeled for: Adult fleas, flea larvae, mosquitos and ticks
Method: Topical
Works in: within 12 hours from application.
Lasts for: 4 weeks
Approved for dogs 7 weeks and older Not labeled for pregnant or nursing animals, or for use in cats.
Other perks: Studies have shown efficacy after bathing or swimming

Advantage Multi for Dogs (imidacloprid, moxidectin)
Labeled for: Adult fleas, heartworms, hookworms, roundworms and whipworms. Used off-label for the treatment of mange.
Method: Topical
Works in: within 12 hours from application.
Lasts for: 4 weeks
Approved for dogs 7 weeks and older. Not labeled for pregnant or nursing dogs.
Other perks: Studies have shown efficacy after bathing or swimming

Revolution for Dogs (selamectin)
Labeled for: Adult fleas, flea eggs, heartworms, ear mites, sarcoptic mange, and the American Dog tick.
Method: Topical
Works in: within 36 hours from application.
Lasts for: 4 weeks
Approved for dogs 6 weeks and older, and for pregnant and lactating dogs.
Other perks: Studies have shown efficacy after bathing or swimming

Sentinel (milbemycin oxime/lufenuron)
Labeled for: Flea eggs, heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.
Method: Oral
Lasts for: 4 weeks
Approved for dogs 4 weeks and older, and for pregnant and lactating dogs.

Capstar for Dogs (nitenpyram)
Labeled for: Adult fleas
Method: Oral
Works in: within 4 hours
Lasts for: One day
Approved for dogs 4 weeks and older, and for pregnant and lactating dogs.

Interceptor for Dogs (milbemycin oxime)
Labeled for: Heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms
Method: Oral
Lasts for: 4 weeks
Approved for dogs 4 weeks and older, and for pregnant and lactating dogs.

For Cats
Advantage Multi for Cats (imidacloprid, moxidectin)
Labeled for: Adult fleas, heartworms, hookworms, roundworms and ear mites.
Method: Topical
Works in: within 12 hours from application.
Lasts for: 4 weeks
Approved for cats 7 weeks and older. Not labeled for pregnant or nursing cats.
Other perks: Studies have shown efficacy after bathing or swimming

Revolution for Cats (selamectin)
Labeled for: Adult fleas, flea eggs, heartworms, ear mites and roundworms.
Method: Topical
Works in: within 36 hours from application.
Lasts for: 4 weeks
Approved for cats 8 weeks and older, and for pregnant and lactating cats.
Other perks: Studies have shown efficacy after bathing or swimming

Capstar for Cats (nitenpyram)
Labeled for: Adult fleas
Method: Oral
Works in: within 6 hours
Lasts for: One day
Approved for cats 4 weeks and older, and for pregnant and lactating cats.

Interceptor for Cats (milbemycin oxime)
Labeled for: Heartworms, roundworms and hookworms.
Method: Oral
Lasts for: 4 weeks
Approved for cats 4 weeks and older, and for pregnant and lactating cats.

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Understanding Fear Aggression At The Vet’s, And Your Role As The Owner

Paige — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:48:57 +0000

I know from experience that most pet owners could never dream that their dog or cat would bite somebody. But the reality is, when a dog or a cat is battling an extreme fear of a situation, the natural instinct is to protect themselves and protect you by biting or scratching. This is very, very common when pets go to the veterinarian. Handling it responsibly requires you to set aside all personal embarrassment or surprise, in order for the veterinary staff to be able to proceed with the services your pet needs.

For cats and small dogs, the carrier used for transportation may be a source of fear and apprehension. Conditioning your pet to the carrier is important. Placing the carrier in a common area of the house several days prior to actually using it will allow your pet to sniff it out, possibly go inside of it, and get used to the idea. Encourage them to go inside the carrier, and reward with treats. Never FORCE your pet inside — this will just encourage fear and bad behavior. Most plastic carriers come with snaps or screws on the side that allow you to open it from the top and place your pet gently inside. Fabric carriers usually zip open, allowing the same type of access. Treat it as a positive experience. Dogs that are crate-trained will probably have less fear associated with the carrier, but may need extra encouragement when it’s not as recognizable as their crate.

Some dogs have a fear of leashes, but this is usually less common. If you’re dealing with this, it’s best to consult a trainer or behaviorist for the best advice. But as with anything else, positive reinforcement and treat rewards will often go a very long way towards comforting your pet during a scary experience.

Once you arrive at the vet’s office, go ahead and let the staff know up front that this is your pet’s first time, or that he/she is frightened (if this is the case). They will appreciate the heads-up. Once you’re placed in an exam room, let your pet check everything out. You may be waiting for a little while, or the technician may come right in and start taking a history. Either way, your pet should be allowed to walk around the room and sniff things. If your pet is in a carrier, getting them out is often a chore. I used to hear all the time “they didn’t want to go in there, now they don’t want to come out!”. To speed up the process, the technician may reach in and pull your pet out. If it’s a cat, they will likely hold him/her by the scruff of the neck. This is NOT cruel, it is how a “momma cat” would keep her kittens under control, and it usually results in immediate compliancy. However, if this just upsets your cat, or if he/she is already hissing or swatting before the technician reaches in, something different will need to be done.

Different clinics will have different methods of restraint, and it’s important to remain patient while they figure out a way. Some clinics simply refuse to see fractious (meaning resistant or quarrelsome) animals. This is due to liability issues, and while it is frustrating and causes a problem for you, it’s important to understand where it comes from. It’s not personal to you, so try not to feel offended. If they’re willing to see your pet, they may try anything from a restraining net, a muzzle, gloves, a towel, or they may bring in extra helpers. At this point, it’s best to just stay out of the way unless you’re asked to help. They are NOT going to hurt your pet, remember that whole liability thing? They will do everything possible to keep your pet safe. Unfortunately though, dogs and cats can be VERY dramatic, and may scream, hiss, growl, snap, or sometimes even urinate or defecate. It can be upsetting for an owner to watch. Some clinics may ask you to leave the room, for this very reason. Again, it’s very important NOT to be offended. They are just trying to do their job, and a concerned owner can accidentally become a hinderance.

Once the staff is able to regain control over your pet, they will do their best to complete the procedure. With fractious animals, some steps of an exam may be skipped. It’s important to be understanding of this — if your pet is at the vet for her arthritis, but is getting worked up every time he tries to look in her ears, it’s just easier for all involved to trim down the less important parts of the exam and just focus on the issue at hand, in an effort to keep the amount of time your pet is anxious and stressed at a minimum. Asking for a reduced exam fee at this point is a bit insulting. The staff likely used more people and spent more time than they would for an average exam in order to restrain and calm down your pet, so in all honesty, they would be within their rights to even charge an extra fee. However, the more understanding and patient you are, the more they will be willing to work with you on whatever your concerns are. Just be careful not to take your frustration out on the staff — dealing with fractious animals is not a walk in the park, so give them a break.

Understanding fear aggression and where it comes from is so important for pet owners. Your pet may be an angel at home, but when placed in unfamiliar territory, they are completely within their rights to feel anxious and defensive, and often the only way they know how to express that is with aggression. It’s always a good thing when you can condition your pet to situations like this early, and train them out of fear aggression behavior. But if you’re one of the many, many pet owners that discovered this too late, reading this article and understanding your role when dealing with fractious pets will go a long way, and your veterinary staff will definitely appreciate your attitude towards the situation.

Apollo Battles The Stairs

Paige — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:40:21 +0000

Submitted by beckyogg

The other week, my boyfriend and I were sitting at the bottom of my stairs, cuddling and acting cute and doing our usual sickeningly sweet act. My orange tabby, Apollo, decided that we weren’t the only ones who could have fun on the stairs.

So he hops up a few steps above where we’re sitting, and gets a wild look in his eye. He pounces on the steps, grabbing the carpet with his claws, his tail whipping back and forth. He throws himself onto the step, laying on his back while flailing his legs around. He plays like this for a few minutes while my boyfriend and I largely ignore him.

Then I hear a strange scrabbling noise, and turn around in time to see Apollo roll down three steps and smack into my arm.

Yes, my cat fell down the stairs.

Dexter Loves Animal Planet!

Paige — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:38:42 +0000

Submitted by mazsdps

I rescued a poodle I named Dexter. He has quite the personality and loves everyone and everything except dogs or cats on TV. We we watching the Animal Planet one evening and out of nowhere Dexter starts barking at the tv and jumping about 4 ft in the air. When the show was over he started going around to the back of the tv, I guess he thought they would come out that way.

Well, that was about 4 months after I got him and he was 6 months old he’s almost 7 and to this day we can’t watch animal planet when he is in the room and when commercials come on with a cat or dog lookout because he goes crazy trying his best to get them.

Tom And The Dollhouse

Paige — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:37:07 +0000

Submitted by Egad!

Our cat, Tom, has always been an odd duck. Shes just a regular tabby cat that we got from the local rescue/pound/whathave you. Shes not terribly friendly but can be very affectionate and vocal when she deems it is time for pets.

Anywho, I grew up with a plastic dollhouse, fairly small rooms. Tom decides she wants to explore. So she hops up onto the table it is sitting on and pokes her head in the one of the bottom rooms. Then the front of her body. Then the rest of her. She then proceeds to turn around, hang out for a couple of seconds, and then just hop out. I had a picture of it but lost it over the years. She never did it again and I always thought it was the weirdest thing ever.

The Ins & Outs Of Nail Trims

Paige — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:43:10 +0000

Trimming your pet’s nails is a great idea, and by doing so, there are many benefits to be enjoyed. Scratches won’t be nearly as painful, you can eliminate the “click-clack” as your pet walks along the hard wood floor, and your pet can enjoy health benefits as well, such as reducing the amount of strain put on joints from the nails curling the foot pad at an upward angle. This can help reduce arthritis in the future. Unfortunately, many pet owners are freaked out at the very thought of nail trims, and I’m sure it’s because they have heard horror stories about the “vein” inside of the nail and the bloody mess that can occur if that blood supply is accidentally nicked. I would like to explain the process of nail trims, and hopefully give some pet owners the confidence they need to begin this routine at home.

The Anatomy Of The Nail (yawn)
It’s important to understand the anatomy of the nail, in order to familiarize yourself with the best way to avoid nicking the “vein”, or more commonly known as the “quick”, which is the blood supply to the nail. I know, I know — boring! I’ll keep it brief. Here is a great diagram of the inside of a dog or cat’s nail, from the Best Pet Supplies Blog:

As you can see, the quick grows to look kind of like a smaller nail, inside of the “real” nail. The quick is usually a pink color, but on very thick or dark-colored nails it will be very difficult, if not impossible to see. This can make it tricky to know where to cut. My tactic was always to err on the side of caution, and clip only in the area where the nail tapers to a thinner point.

If your pet has clear nails, it’s a piece of cake. Just steer clear of the pink area of the nail. Sometimes, especially with pets who have not had routine nail trims in the past, the quick will be almost as long as the nail. In this situation, the only thing you can do is clip as much of the nail as possible without hitting the quick, and do this once or twice weekly. You will only get tiny bits off at a time, but eventually the quick will begin to recede back into the nail, and you can begin to cut it shorter each time. After it gets to the appropriate length, you can cut back the frequency of the clippings to whatever works for you and your pet.

What Should I Use?
There are several different types of nail clippers that you can purchase. Millers Forge makes a great line of clippers than you can purchase at almost any pet store. My favorite is the kind that feels like a pair of pliers. They look like this:

These are the easiest to handle for me, and will cut anything from a little kitten nail to a Mastiff nail, with ease.

There is also a guillotine style clipper, that looks like this:

These work well on cat’s nails, but it’s sometimes confusing to figure out what direction to hold them. There are also clippers that look like a pair of scissors with a custom end, these are usually marketed towards puppies and small cats, but I’ve found that they are pretty useless, and dull quickly. Then, of course, you have Pedi Paws.

Pedi Paws for pets, in my opinion, is like the Ped Egg for people — useless, but looks cool enough that everyone wants to try it. Some pet owners have used it with success, but could have achieved the same affect and gotten a wider range of use by grabbing an old Dremel. Most pets don’t appreciate the noise and grinding feeling associated with this instrument. If you can get it to work, I think it’s a great idea as it does eliminate the risk of quicking and sharp edges, but I think the likelihood of your average pet tolerating this kind of thing is slim to none.

Oh No! I Quicked The Nail!
I know it can feel like the end of the world when this happens. You feel like the worst pet owner in the entire world. Just relax — it’s extremely common, and it’s not nearly as bad as it looks. When you quick the nail, your pet will probably jump or yelp. It’s like when you poke yourself, more startling than painful. Also, it will usually start to bleed quite a bit. More than you thought possible for a little nail. If you just let it bleed and bleed and bleed, eventually it would clot and stop — nothing to write home about, no bleeding to death. But obviously we don’t want to do that, so there are a few products you can use to curb the bleeding a little faster.

The most common product is called styptic powder, which you can purchase from a pet store, or sometimes your veterinarian will sell you a bottle. It’s a powder, usually yellow in color, that you apply to the nail to stop the bleeding. You can also purchase the same type of product in a stick, called Styptic Sticks or Silver Nitrate Sticks, that you roll over the nail to apply the product. Be careful with these. If you touch your skin with them, it won’t look like anything at first, but after a few hours a brown stain will develop that takes DAYS to scrub off. It’s not harmful, but it definitely looks gross!

If you find yourself at home with no styptic products, you can use flour or corn starch in a crunch. It won’t stop the bleeding as fast as the styptic products, but it will help soak up the blood and slow it down. If all else fails, pressure applied directly to the tip of the nail where the blood is coming from will eventually stop it. Just stay calm, tell your pet it’s okay, and ride it out. It’s NOT the end of the world, I promise! In 8 years of assisting veterinarians, I never saw more than a slightly grumpy pet result from a quicked nail.

My Pet Hates Having Her Nails Touched
If you’re lucky enough to have a cooperative critter, you can stop reading. Also, if you’re lucky enough to have a puppy or kitten, now is definitely the time to start conditioning them for things like nail trims, teeth brushing, exams, etc. Play with their paws and clip their nails often. This is the best way to save yourself sweat and tears in the future.

For those of you who are not so lucky, and have the common problem of a critter that HATES having their nails touched, you definitely have your work cut out for you. Finding a way to cope with your pet’s behavior and learning to trim their nails at home is a huge accomplishment, and you should take it in steps. Begin conditioning them like you would a puppy or kitten by playing with their feet, giving them treats, speaking to them in a soothing tone. When the time comes for a true trim, you can enlist a helper to hold your pet in place while you clip. Remember, take baby steps — if you get even one paw done, consider it an accomplishment. Using a towel to wrap squirmy kitties in is an excellent idea, and will cut down on scratches.

If all else fails, you may have to pay your veterinarian or groomer to work their magic. Ask them to show you their technique, and you can begin to learn the best way for your pet. Every pet is different and you may find that one way works better than another. Some pets like being held a certain way, some prefer a certain type of clipper, some respond better to a stranger doing the trim rather than their owner. It’s a process to figure out what works best for each individual pet, and it’s important to stay calm and patient. Feet-sensitive pets were an every day occurrence where I worked, so don’t feel too bad. A patient and understanding owner would make all the difference to us (the technicians), and to the anxious pet.

Tarquin: The Door Climber

Paige — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:46:11 +0000

Submitted by Chajara

Our cat, Tarquin, has a bit of a habit of getting into things. The apartment building hallway, closets, cabinets, behind the entertainment center where all the wires are, into my bedroom closet where my plants and a bunch of junk lurk, anything he’s not supposed to be in that he probably can’t get out of by himself.
His new thing lately is the tops of doors.

Blackie, The Guinea Pig Who Needs A Lady Friend

Paige — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:43:25 +0000

Submitted by Serella

My family used to keep guinea pigs when I was a kid, and our very first pair was male-female, due to pet store missexing. Well, one thing led to another and we ended up with a few more pigs. We ended up keeping two, a pair of females. Each of the four guinea pigs lived in their own cages and occasionally we’d swap around a shoebox with one end cut off as a little house for them.

Now, our one male guinea pig, Blackie, had gone blind in his older years. Yet still being intact, he very much loooooved the ladies. So much so that when he smelled them on the shoebox-house, he’d go “looking” for them inside of it. We found that if the shoebox was set down on the floor outside of the cage, horny old Blackie would keep walking and walking into it, hoping to find himself a nice lady pig at the end of it. We spent a lot of time watching the walking, purring shoebox with a waddling piggy butt sticking out of one end as it went in circles across the floor.

Poochy: The Couch Rubber

Paige — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:41:32 +0000

Submitted by Cuckoo

I had to change states for college, but my mom has 2 cats and a dog. (gray tabbies, boston terrier.) The Boston’s name is Poochy - shut up, I named her when I was 12 - and despite being 8 1/2 years old she still has freakish levels of puppy energy and is obsessed with playtime. All of the animals get along fine, and of course since I moved out the house they all want mom’s attention when she gets home from work!

My mom usually flops down on the living room couch to watch tv, so of course this has become animal central. The cats rub themselves all over the couch, arching their back against it in the typical kitty way. Of course, this is adorable so they get lots of pets from mom.

Apparently Poochy caught on.

Last time I was down there and hanging out on the couch with mom, I saw the cats do the couch rubbing thing as usual - but then I saw the dog doing the same thing. She arched her back in the same exact way as the cats, Boston terrier eyes bugged out and snorting as she wagged what little tail she had. She floored us!